Back ||NOAA Home Hampton Roads Maritime Association Annual Dinner Banquet Norfolk Marriott Norfolk, Va. April 29, 2004 Thank you Congressman Randy Forbes for that kind introduction and I would like to thank the Hampton Roads Maritime Association for inviting me to speak at your 84th Annual Banquet. The HRMA is an important part of this community and a long time partner and friend to NOAA; I am truly honored to appear before you and greatly appreciate this opportunity. I am here tonight representing my boss, Secretary of Commerce Don Evans. He sends his warmest wishes and would like to recognize and commend the HRMA for the outstanding work they do in promoting trade and commerce in Hampton Roads and the critical link they represent between the United States and the global economy. Before I begin, however, allow me to express my gratitude and appreciation to the Coast Guard team we just honored. NOAA is fortunate enough to be able to work hand-in-hand with the Coast Guard everyday and they are truly an asset - not just to those of us who work closely with the seas, but also to the nation as a whole - and they deserve all the praise we can give them. I also extend my congratulations to Mayor Fraim on his recognition as this year’s Port Champion. NOAA is lucky enough to call Norfolk home for many of our employees and I can speak from first hand knowledge that the Mayor and the City of Norfolk have been and continue to be great supporters of NOAA and the maritime community and is well deserving of this award. I hold the Hampton Roads Maritime Association in very high esteem, but I also have to note that this region also holds a special place in my heart since I was lucky enough to call this home for two years and I made many friends in this great part of our country. You probably picked it up from the introduction, but my entire life has been the oceans. I love everything about the oceans, they are my passion and you will be hard pressed to find a bigger supporter in the work you do on a daily basis than me. I might add that the same is true of NOAA, the Department of Commerce and the Administration as a whole. Unfortunately, most citizens know very little about NOAA or that NOAA is located within the Department of Commerce. Actually, we are the largest component of the Department B making up 65 percent of its entire budget. Our mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our Nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs, or as I often like to say, everything from the sun to the mud. NOAA’s placement in the Commerce Department is not arbitrary. In fact, NOAA’s products and services touch 30 percent of the Nation’s GDP every year. This includes some 95 percent of foreign trade by tonnage moving through American ports contributing $740 billion to the GDP while employing 13 million Americans. In fact, commerce and transportation is one of NOAAs four strategic goals along with Ecosystems, Climate, and Weather and Water. Right here in Hampton Roads, some $30 billion in water-borne commerce flows through your port every single year. Just try to imagine where the state of Virginia would be without the $667 million you generate in tax revenues annually. I think I just woke up the legislators in the crowd. The Hampton Roads area is truly important to us. In fact, it is home to almost 300 NOAA employees providing such services as weather forecasting, mapping and charting, fisheries enforcement, hazmat scientific support, outreach and education services like the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary and NOAA at Nauticus, as well as those who support our employees in administration and human resources. NOAA’s focus here is ensuring the port operations that we are a part of run as safely, smoothly, and as environmentally sound as possible and we dedicate a lot of resources to achieving that goal. The list is a mile long, but I want to point out a few key programs and recent events that directly touch life here in the port. I want to emphasize, though, that our strong representation in Hampton Roads is not only of necessity but also of a proactive community willing to partner to meet common goals and needs. NOAA Navigation Products Our Nautical charting efforts such as our new Electronic Navigation Charts, and our Physical Oceanographic Real Time System (PORTS) was designed with YOU to meet the demands of deep draft vessels and pressing navigation issues in your area. We designed, built, and operate this 24-7 operational system in partnership with the Port of Virginia and the U.S. Navy to be used by the Virginia Pilots, commercial, military and public vessels maritime operators as a navigational tool to maximize the safe and efficient use of the waters in the Hampton Roads Area. The PORTS system is more than just a nice toy to have around. As you well know, each additional foot of draft can add thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to the value of cargo carried on a ship and this precision data helps to maximize that potential. Two of NOAA’s ships home ported in Norfolk, the Rude and the Thomas Jefferson, do an incredible amount of charting necessary to keep this port and others along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts running. In fact, when I was here last year to commission the Thomas Jefferson I noted that the $4.3 billion Ronald Reagan, which was being commissioned at about the same time, goes nowhere without the charting done by the $65 million Thomas Jefferson. I dare say the same goes for most of the ship going in and out of this port, and that is a prime example of how science gains value at NOAA. Hurricane Isabel Hurricane Isabel is probably fresh on people’s minds around here and I’m sure caused many tense moments for all of you. That hurricane was a unique one for NOAA in that it served as one of our greater accomplishments in terms of pre- and post-storm achievement. Our 5-day forecast for hurricanes was new last year, and in the case of Isabel was only off by 118 nautical miles (nm). The average 48-hour error for Isabel was only 60 nm. This is 173 nautical miles more accurate than the 10-year average. This forecast information was invaluable to emergency managers, port authorities, and especially our local U.S. Navy planners to take timely, appropriate actions in advance, minimizing the impacts of evacuations and in the case of the Navy - deployment costs incurred of the sorties and diverted ships, submarines, and aircraft. It costs the Navy at least $5 million to relocate its fleet with a lead-time of 72 hours in the event of a hurricane. Needless to say, it is important that we get them this information in a timely manner and it is important that we provide the most accurate forecast to the best of our ability. Following the storm, NOAA teams worked tirelessly with the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Virginia Pilots Association to survey the harbor channel to ensure it was safe for use. This resulted in the port reopening less than 30 hours after the storm passed, assuring minimal disruption in activities. These are but a few of the examples where NOAA partners with all of you and I would like to think that one of the reasons MAERSK recently decided to build a $450 million facility here in Hampton Roads, which will expand the capacity of the port by nearly 50 percent, is because of the excellent safety and reliability of the port and inter-modal operations but also because of the excellent relationships that exist among all of us seeking to promote trade and commerce. I would like to spend the rest of the time I have with you describing the momentous opportunity for all of us who live, work and play in our nation’s oceans and coasts. Last week the President’s Commission on Ocean Policy delivered the first draft of their report for comments from the Governor’s and the public. This is instrumental because the last comprehensive review of U.S. Ocean Policy was conducted thirty-five years ago by the Stratton Commission. Since then our nation’s oceans and coasts have changed drastically. More than 37 million people, 19 million homes, and countless businesses have been added to coastal areas. Marine transportation and coastal recreation and tourism have become two of the top drivers of the national economy. I can assure you that in 35 years time there were a lot of issues that could have taken center stage. However, I want to point out what they chose to put on page 1, chapter 1, of this landmark report. And I quote, “America’s oceans and coasts are big business.” Of all the important issues this highly-esteemed commission could have led off with, they chose to highlight the crucial role oceans play as “among the chief pillars of our nation’s wealth and economic well-being.” Since the commission also notes that trade through ports will double over the next two decades, I believe it is quite obvious that they recognize the importance of the work you do on a daily basis. I don’t want to give you the wrong impression, however. It is great that the Commission placed such a high priority on what you folks are doing. But it is important for everyone here to realize that the Commission is not going to do anything for you in and of itself. What the commission’s report will do and is doing is focusing the nation’s attention on the importance of oceans. It is up to you to make your views and concerns known to the policy makers charged with implementing the Commission’s recommendations. The Commission spelled out more than 200 recommendations with many of them directly touching your daily lives. The comment period is currently open to the Governor’s and stakeholders. Since you are some of the biggest stakeholders around, this is an important opportunity for you to make your mark and I want to make sure you know how the report affects you. I encourage you to investigate the report and the procedure to respond, which can be found on their website, www.oceancommission.gov. In the meantime, I’ll highlight some of the specific recommendations of interest to the maritime commerce and transportation community: Establishment of a National Ocean Council in the Executive Office of the President chaired by an Assistant to the President; Creation of a non-federal Presidential Council of Advisors on Ocean Policy; Congress should codify the Interagency Committee for the Marine Transportation System and place it under the National Ocean Council; Strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration specifically with respect to the assessment, prediction, and operations for ocean, coastal, and atmospheric environments, including mapping and charting, satellite-based and in-situ data collection, implementation of the Integrated Ocean Observing System, broadly based data information systems, and weather services and products. Designating the Department of Transportation as the lead agency for planning and oversight of the marine transportation system with additional responsibilities to: Draft a new national freight transportation strategy to support continued growth of the nation’s economy Conduct a thorough analysis and assessment of the potential benefits of increased short sea shipping Establish a national program to provide a comprehensive picture of the freight flows within the U.S. with the emphasis on assessing and prioritizing the nation’s future needs for ports and intermodal transportation. In conclusion, the U.S. Commission on Oceans Policy represents a unique opportunity that, if history holds, will not be repeated anytime in the near future. Everyone here tonight can and will be affected by the policy decisions made in the wake of the Commissions final recommendations and it is important for you to make your voices heard as stakeholders of the U.S. Ocean and Coastal community. Thank you.